IND vs PAK Champions Trophy: Indian Govt. says No to Cricket with Pakistan

Sports Minister Vijay Goel has said in an interview on Monday that India will not play bilateral series with Pakistan unless Pakistan finishes Terrorism.

Vijay Goel said in a statement-

“Cricket and Terrorism can’t go hand-in-hand.”

Interestingly, India and Pakistan are set to play with each other in the ICC Champions Trophy in UK early next month. Both teams are in the same group and will clash at Edgbaston, Birmingham on June 4.

Board of Control for Cricket in India received a legal notice from Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB) for not honouring the MOU(Memorandum of understanding) which BCCI had signed in year 2014 regarding bilateral series between year 2015 and 2023 with Pakistan. Now BCCI and PCB are planning to meet in Dubai to have a discussion over this topic.

Pakistan claimed a loss of $200-$300 million, on which the PCB asked for a $60 million compensation for losses faced due to India’s refusal to play the series.

“We still remain committed to playing, but the position doesn’t change: the series cannot go ahead without the permission of the Government of India.

“After PCB wrote to us, we have written to the government of India again, and are awaiting the response. I believe the dialogue should go on, which is why we are meeting,”

The two rivals were last seen in bilateral series played in December 2012. Pakistan came for limited overs series that included two T20Is and three ODIs in India. The T20 series was drawn and Pakistan won the ODIs 2-1.